Stress Management
What is Stress?
Stress can be defined as a physical and/or emotional response to the demands that we believe are being made of us. Notably, not all Stress is harmful.
More about Stress
Stress is an integral part of everyday modern living in our homes, schools, workplaces, and social environments. It is virtually impossible to eradicate the minor Stress attributed to scenarios such as running late for a meeting, but exposure to this moderate Stress or pressure, can actually be useful in motivating us to undertake our daily tasks.
Conversely, more significant stressors, such as money worries or relationship conflict, are not perceived as positive Stress experiences by our minds and bodies. Although this Stress cannot be avoided, it can be managed. Learning to recognise and cope more effectively with Stress, can be an extremely worthwhile skill to practice, as failure to do so may endanger our mental and physical health, subduing confidence, energy, self-esteem, and performance.
Common Causes of Stress
- Bereavement and loss
- Financial problems
- Family or relationship worries
- Life events
- Major illnesses or accidents
- Major lifestyle changes
- Personal goals or ambitions
- Other’s perceived expectations of us
- Our physical environment
- Retirement
- Separation and/or divorce
- Unemployment
- Workplace changes
The Symptoms of Unmanaged Stress
Cognitive symptoms
- Anxious or racing thoughts
- Constant worrying
- Inability to concentrate
- Memory problems
- Poor judgment
- Seeing only the negative
Emotional symptoms
- Agitation, inability to relax
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Irritability or short temper
- Moodiness
- Sense of loneliness and isolation
Physical symptoms
- Aches and pains
- Chest pain, rapid heartbeat
- Decreased immune response
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Fatigue
- Frequent colds
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar levels
- Loss of sex drive
- Nausea, dizziness
- Ulcers, upset stomach
Behavioural symptoms
- Alcohol and/or drug abuse
- Isolating yourself from others
- Eating more or less than usual
- Neglecting your responsibilities
- Nervous habits (e.g., nail biting, pacing)
- Poor personal hygiene
- Procrastinating
- Sleeping too much or too little
Stress Management Therapy
Waterford Counselling Centre can help you to learn to deal with Stress overloads by exploring the sources of your Stress, and the patterns that surround your cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioural symptoms. Alternative and healthier responses to Stress can be facilitated through improved awareness of your personal stressors, and the internal and external patterns that inevitably follow.
Enmeshed capacities for passivity, assertiveness, and aggression, historically triggered in the face of your stressors, can instead be distinguished, separated, and changed. Resilience is simultaneously built through the resolution of underlying emotions, the development of self-control, and regular assertive, and relaxation practices. Remember you are not your thoughts, and Stress does not have to define who you are, or who you can be.
Seeking support is a strength and not a weakness!
